-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- I must have met Doc , as we called Maya Angelou , way before I remember .

We often attended readings , but the first time she absolutely caught my attention was at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts .

It was n't all that cold , but Maya and others had fur coats on . My mother , who was a big fan of the Seven Sisters colleges , had come with me . We both had on cloth coats .

Doc , as we all know , was 6 feet or taller . Mommy was 4-foot-11 , and I am 5-foot-2 . Not only were we shorter , we felt smaller .

I looked at that group and made a silent vow to never allow my mother to be with this group again without a fur coat . We purchased one soon after .

When Mommy died , I shared that story with Doc .

Maya laughed . `` We had no idea , '' she said . And laughed again . Mommy owes Doc .

Opinion : Maya Angelou : The definition of a phenomenal woman

When Doc moved to Winston-Salem , North Carolina , she was not far from me in Virginia , so I got to see a lot of her . If I had any inkling she was frying chicken , I 'd go down and spend the night . When Jay-Z sent her a case of wonderfully expensive champagne , those days I had to spend the night !

Everyone came to Doc 's place , which was great fun . You 'd wake up in the morning not knowing who would be down to breakfast . The superstars ; the wonderfully funny ; old friends from another country ; a congressman . And Doc treated them all the same .

Maya Angelou remembered by those she inspired

Her ability to speak to everyone in the same voice was what made her the force she was .

Our only disagreements were about food .

She was a great cook , and I think of myself as a good one . We were arguing about rack of lamb , one of my specialties . My recipe comes from the late , great country cook Edna Lewis . I went home after my visit and decided I should not just talk the talk but also walk the walk .

I called my good friend Joanne Gabbin from Furious Flower Poetry Center to have her come with me to Doc 's to cook . Jo is a great cook , too . We got on Doc 's calendar , packed all our ingredients and spices and boogied on down .

Doc sat at the head of the table , where she could see everything going on in the kitchen . She inspected the lamb , checked the veggies , tasted everything and praised Joanne .

I think she loved me a little bit because she , like my only living aunt , always felt free to make minor corrections . `` I think the lamb is a bit overdone , '' she offered .

`` Well Edna Lewis is in heaven , and I checked with her before I put this on the table , '' I responded .

We both laughed . I know if the lamb was not done properly , she would have eaten it and not said a word .

I wanted to fry chicken for her , too , but time just ran out .

Our mutual friend , the late author Alex Haley , always said , `` Find the good and praise it . '' Maya took it to heart . She would always seek the good in any situation , or she avoided the question .

Opinion : How Maya Angelou gave me life

In all my years of knowing her , I only heard her once speak ill of someone and that was well deserved .

Like everyone , I have read and reread `` I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings . '' And like that caged bird , Maya sought an inner freedom .

We only have to look at her life to see that she took every ounce of joy life had to offer .

I will remember her as a courageous woman who always wanted to love , and wish her a rightful place in literature .

Some of Angelou 's most powerful speeches

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Nikki Giovanni .

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Poet Nikki Giovanni knew Maya Angelou over the years and shares her memories

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Angelou was a great cook and good friend , author says

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Giovanni notes Angelou 's special ability to speak to everyone in the same voice